Cubatão

Cubatão is an industrial city once known as the "most polluted city in the world", in the Santos region of São Paulo state. It is considered a world symbol of environmental recovery by the United Nations. The Serra do Mar State Park is a great attraction for ecotourists, such as birdwatchers, mountain bikers and hikers. The Cubatão waterfalls are regionally recognized for their beauty and large size.

Understand
Cubatão has always played a prominent role in the life of Baixada Santista, the State of São Paulo and Brazil. Located at the foot of the Serra do Mar, from where Jesuits, merchants, drovers and kingdom authorities took their breath to reach the Plateau, it essentially became a place of passage. First along the water path, then through the Perequê River Valley, the so-called "Caminho do Padre" and finally along the "Calçada do Lorena". The Porto Geral de Cubatão had its origins in the first half of the 18th century. On the other hand, a village was developed, for a long time known by that name. In 1833, this village was elevated to the category of municipality, in 1841, annexed to the Municipality of Santos and in 1949 the political-administrative emancipation took place.

Large buildings such as Via Anchieta, and later the lanes of Rodovia dos Imigrantes, Refinaria Presidente Bernardes, Companhia Siderúrgica Paulista (formerly COSIPA, today USIMINAS), in addition to Companhia Santista de Papel and Usina Light, made Cubatão a major center for vehicle traffic. It is still considered one of the largest petrochemical complexes in Latin America.

With a large industrial park, Cubatão faced the constant threat of pollution in the past. In the 1980s, it was considered by the UN as the most polluted city in the world. However, with the cooperation of industries, community and government, the city managed to control 98% of the level of pollutants in the air. For this reason, in 1992 it received the title of "Symbol City of Environmental Recovery" from the UN.

By plane
The nearest airport in operation is Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo, which is about 60 km from the center of Cubatão.

By ship
The closest passenger terminal is at the port of Santos.

By car
Cubatão is 58 km from São Paulo.

There are two options for going down the mountain by car from São Paulo: Rodovia Anchieta (also used by buses and trucks, including bi-trains) and Rodovia dos Imigrantes (exclusive for passenger vehicles, on the descent). They are considered the best roads in Latin America, with an excellent level of conservation and also the most expensive tolls in the country (R$ 22.00), paid only for the descent (bikes do not pay).

By bus
From São Paulo, bus trips start at the Jabaquara Bus Terminal, a journey of approximately 45 minutes to the Cubatão Bus Terminal. The departures are one hour apart.
 * Breda, 0800 779 4990 or +55 13 3453 1830

Get around
The city's neighborhoods are separated from each other, with the entire city connected by highways. The main thoroughfares in the neighborhood are:
 * SP-150 (Anchieta Highway) Provides access to the Henry Borden Hydroelectric Power Plant, to downtown Cubatão, to Cotia-Pará Park, to Jardim Casqueiro (and to Marina do Mar Pequeno) and connects the city to Santos
 * SP-160 (Rodovia dos Imigrantes) Connects the city to São Vicente and Praia Grande
 * SP-055 (Rodovia Pe. Manoel da Nóbrega, or Rodovia Pedro Taques) Gives access to the Industrial Pole (COSIPA, Carbocloro), to the Perequê Ecological Park, to the city center and to the Pilões and Vale Verde neighborhoods (which have beautiful open springs for visitation). Connects the city to Praia Grande and Bertioga.

By bus
The bus system is based on a radial route, with buses traveling through "Centro-neighborhood-center" lines, in a circular fashion. To get from one neighborhood to another, you must take two buses. However, in such cases, you can ask for an integration ticket, which can be used only once, and always in the same direction of circulation.

Ecotourism
Cubatão is a municipality with great tourist potential that gained strength mainly after the implemented environmental recovery actions. The City has a mangrove with biodiversity similar to that of the Pantanal, still little publicized and explored for tourism. In addition, Cubatão is surrounded by a large green belt: parks such as Cotia-Pará, Perequê and Serra do Mar have national projection and are ideal for ecotourism activities, such as bird- watching.


 * Pilões River Trail: (1,200 m, low difficulty) Used for Environmental Education activities and visits to schools, with ruins of the old village of Itutinga.
 * Passariúva River Trail: (3,000 m, low difficulty) Part of the Trilhas de São Paulo program. With river crossing, proper places for bathing and rest. The end point of the trail is the Passariúva river waterfall, where in addition to the waterfall there is a 5-meter-deep well with clear water.
 * Usina Trail: (18,000 m, medium difficulty) Great cultural wealth as it follows the ruins of the train tracks of the former Santista de Papel Mill, one of the first industries to settle in the Industrial Pole of Cubatão. The end point of the trail is the ruin of the old power plant and the dam built for power generation). Free. For trails, appointment required.
 * Pilões River Trail: (1,200 m, low difficulty) Used for Environmental Education activities and visits to schools, with ruins of the old village of Itutinga.
 * Passariúva River Trail: (3,000 m, low difficulty) Part of the Trilhas de São Paulo program. With river crossing, proper places for bathing and rest. The end point of the trail is the Passariúva river waterfall, where in addition to the waterfall there is a 5-meter-deep well with clear water.
 * Usina Trail: (18,000 m, medium difficulty) Great cultural wealth as it follows the ruins of the train tracks of the former Santista de Papel Mill, one of the first industries to settle in the Industrial Pole of Cubatão. The end point of the trail is the ruin of the old power plant and the dam built for power generation). Free. For trails, appointment required.

Nautical tourism


The tourist boats that travel the meanders of the rivers amidst the region's mangroves are an unmissable attraction when visiting Cubatão. Its fauna enchants Brazilian and foreign tourists, many of whom are fond of "bird watching". The scarlet ibis (Endocimus ruber) is the city's symbol bird and its population, which disappeared in the 1980s due to the pollution of its habitat, is now booming.

April
Ask for the Passion of ChristBanana Party9 de Abril parade: anniversary of the city, Avenida Nove de Abril is taken over by a large parade. The city, known for being the "Brazilian city of fanfares", lavishes the title on that date, with a parade that lasts for hours and features various fanfares and public organizations.

September
Paths to Independence play: honoring the historic date of September 1822, the play portrays the crucial moments that culminated in the Proclamation of Independence by D. Pedro I, without forgetting the role of the city as a route to the plateau.

November
Cubatão Danado de Bom: festival that celebrates the northeastern origins of more than 70% of the city's population, with typical food, music and regional atmosphere.

Buy
The city's commercial avenue is Avenida Nove de Abril, which has popular stores, gift and souvenir stores, clothing and home appliance stores, in addition to concentrating most of the city's restaurants and snack bars. Cubatão does not have any large shopping malls.

Eat
Cubatão's cuisine is the result of three important components: bananas, the city's main economic activity in the pre-industrial period; seafood, mainly fish and crustaceans from the mangroves in the region and northeastern cuisine, given the strong migration in the mid-20th century. The city's typical dish is the caiçara "Azul Marinho", a kind of moqueca with fish and green banana, served mainly at the Banana Festival. Other typical foods in the region are crab and dried meat.

Restaurants

 * Lisbon Restaurant and Bakery Avenida Nove de Abril ​​1753 - Center, +55 13 3361 1410
 * Lisbon Restaurant and Bakery Avenida Nove de Abril ​​1753 - Center, +55 13 3361 1410

Pizzerias

 * Project 10 Av. Joaquim Miguel Couto, 252, +55 13 3372-1000
 * Kalabalis Pizzeria Av. Joaquim, Jorge Peralta 70 – Jardim Casqueiro, +55 13 3363 4000
 * Pizzeria village Av. Joaquim, Jorge Peralta 70 – Jardim Casqueiro, +55 13 3363 4000
 * Bakery and Restaurant Lisbon  Avenida Nove de Abril ​​1753 - Center, +55 13 3361.1410

Snack bars

 * Tia Jo's Restaurant Rua Goiás 253 – Vila Paulista, +55 13 3361 7573
 * Roast Chicken Ambassador, Pedro de Toledo Street – Vila Paulista, +55 13 3361 6365
 * Pizzeria and Snack Bar Ponte Nova, Av. Felícia Olivieri Trombino 661 – Jardim Casqueiro, +55 13 3363 2277
 * Florida Snacks, Avenida Nove de Abril ​​2125 - Center, +55 13 3361 2905

Steakhouses

 * Vila Nova Steakhouse Avenida Nove de Abril ​​3448 – Vila Nova.

Sleep

 * [http://www.hotel-lopes.com Hotel Lopes, Av. Embaixador Pedro de Toledo n.º 477 - Vila Paulista, +55 13 3372 6204 or +55 13 3372 6206, hotel.lopes@gmail.com. Full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 * Hotel Rainha do Mar, Av. Nove de Abril ​​n.º 1821 - Center, +55 13 3361 4422, 60 UH - 150 beds. Breakfast included.
 * Hotel Crisbel, Av. Nove de Abril n.º 2580 – Centro, +55 13 3361.2575 or +55 13 3372.3950, breakfast included.
 * Hotel do Farol, Av. Joaquim Miguel Couto, 315, Center, +55 13 3361-9617, contato@hoteldofarol.com.br

Connect
Telephone: The area code for Cubatão (and the entire Baixada Santista area) is (13).

Post Office: AC Cubatão, Avenida Nove de Abril, 3488 - Vila Nova, +55 13 3361-4760 or +55 13 3361-9164

Cope
Cubatão has a health block, in the center of the city, which houses the Municipal Hospital (Hospital Modelo), the Children's Polyclinic, the Women's Health Center and the Guiomar F. Roebellen Emergency Room.
 * Municipal Hospital of Cubatão Dr. Luiz Camargo F. e Silva (Model Hospital), Av. Henry Borden, no., +55 13 3362-5400 Extension 581, Daily 07:00-19:00.
 * Ana Costa Hospital, Av Nove de Abril, 1601, +55 13 3367-3430 or +55 13 3367-3431. Emergency room and ambulatory.

Go next

 * Santos